Biodiversity in the UK is facing an emergency with around 30 percent of native species becoming extinct since the 1970s. This loss of wildlife, which echoes trends all over the world, could have catastrophic impacts on food, air quality and the environment. However for the UK change is on the horizon with a new Environment Bill seeking to reverse this with requirements for developers to deliver an increase in biodiversity on their projects –  a concept known as biodiversity net gain.

This update on our episode from August 2019, gives additional insight into the details of the new requirements. It finds that although the current COVID 19 induced crisis is reducing global carbon emissions and bringing some environment benefits, biodiversity remains under threat.

Guests
Dr Julia Baker, Author, Biodiversity Net Gain: Good Practice Principals for Development
Tom Butterworth, Technical Director for Biodiversity, WSP
Caroline Maghanga, Senior Ecologist, Mott MacDonald